Ayya Nirodha has been visiting for three days now and things are going very nicely. Yesterday we were taken up into the Adelaide Hills by Michelle the secretary of the Buddhist Society of SA. We had a lovely scenic drive and then Ayya was able to visit a friend of hers while Michelle took me to visit her mother nearby.
Bhante Mahinda Sara, Bhante Sumedha, Ayya Santacari, Ayya Nirodha
After having a picnic lunch of freshly made veggie juice at the Mount Lofty lookout we went to pay our respects to Swamina Sumedha Thero and Swamina Mahinda Sara Thero at the new Sri Lanka Buddhist Vihara in Crafers. As usual they made us feel very welcome, and the kindness of their hearts radiated warmth and hospitality towards us. Being full moon Ayya was able to request Ovada and the Uposatha date which was very nice. Bhante Sumedha gave us the date and then gave us a lovely exhortation talk on “the Dhamma protects those who protect the Dhamma.” It was so wonderful to hear Dhamma in English from this excellent and beloved monk. I often feel such gratitude welling up in my heart for the kindness and care they give to me and to everyone they encounter.
Ayya Santacari, Ayya Nirodha and Ayya’s Mum; Joanna Lavelle
Today we had a quiet contemplative day only going out for lunch dana at the Green Room in Willunga, kindly provided by Anoma Jayawardena and her family Sarath and Harshini. Anoma gives us long distance lunch Dana every week by calling up the Green Room and paying for us to go to lunch there, which is such a wonderful support: Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu! It was lovely to be able to go there with my new teacher and my Mum and have really healthy organic food cooked with love. After yesterday’s juice fasting our bodies felt like singing!